Ajabdeh opened the connecting door at his knock and was surprised to find Phool Kanwar passed out on his couch. She was still in her party dress and looked drunk. "She just came knocking. And the moment I opened the door she passed out." He looked helpless. “I swear if I knew she was…”
“It's good that she came here.” He frowned at her words. “Rather than go somewhere unsafe for her in this state.” He looked at Ajabdeh at her words. She always gave him a different side of situations whether he liked it or not. He agreed with a nod.
“What to do now?”He asked, scratching his head.
“I will get her changed into something more comfortable.” Ajabdeh spoke opening the cupboard, “Then you can help me put her to bed.”
“MY bed?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Unless you want to carry her to mine.” She added taking out a spare set of nightwear without looking at him.
“No… I… My bed is fine.” He moved away to give Ajabdeh space to get inside the room and shut the door behind her. Around five minutes later she opened the door and said “Now help me put her to bed.” Ajabdeh held her head carefully in her palms, almost like a mother holding a sleeping child and putting her other arm around her waist. She then looked up at Pratap standing there.
“Hold her.” She insisted.
“I….” He reluctantly held her shoulder from the other side. Ajabdeh’s hand on her side brushed his torso almost like a feather and he moved slightly.
Putting her down on the bed, Ajabdeh placed the pillows and cushions around her.
“She is not a child you know?” Pratap said, folding his hand to his chest.
“She is unconscious.” She added. “There. She seems fine for the night.”
“Okay.” He looked around and picked up a spare blanket. “I am sleeping on your couch then.” He made Ajabdeh look up at him.
“What? You expect me to share a room with her?” He shook his head and walked over to her side of the room. Ajabdeh followed, half closing the connecting door in between.
“Sleep on the bed. I have to work late and I l take a nap. The couch will be fine for me.” She insisted.
“Are you sure?” He asked a little uncomfortable at the idea. She nodded firmly “Absolutely. The lights being turned on will disturb you though.”
“Not a problem.” He shook his head.
He went over to the right side of the bed and placed his pillow removing hers. The moment Pratap sank into the bed, he could smell her familiar scent on the bed sheet. He couldn’t understand, was it how she smelled or just her shampoo? He peeped over to see her eyes on the laptop screen, half sitting on the couch, her legs on the coffee table, papers everywhere, her hair done up and a pencil in between her lips.
“You didn’t ask…” He said almost in a whisper.
“What?” She asked, taking the pencil out from between her lips.
“You didn’t ask…” he repeated half sitting on the bed “About her.” For a moment Ajabdeh thought about who this “her” was.
“Oh! I figured I know what I need to know.” She shrugged. “Besides, who we are is not in our past, but our future.” A smile curved his lips. “If you want to ask me something, however, you can.” She looked up from the screen at his surprised face.
“You should work.” He said drawing the blanket over himself. “Goodnight.”
She nodded with a smile and resumed her work. He lay awake on his side for a long time. Her smell still hit his nostrils and the room smelled of coffee. Occasionally he could hear her clear her throat and the sudden feeling of having someone else in a room with him didn’t seem to bother him. He didn’t know when he fell asleep.
Pratap woke up when dawn just broke and cleared away the night. The curtains were half drawn and he could see a part of the sky. He sat up rubbing his eyes with a yawn when his eyes fell on her. Her laptop was still on her lap and she was half leaning on the cushion, her mouth almost open and deep in sleep. He smiled at her figure and walked up to her, slowly taking the laptop from her lap and shutting it. He placed it carefully down on the table and moved over to the side of the couch where her head was tilted. He tried to put a cushion for support and it jolted her awake.
“It’s okay It’s me.” He looked alarmed with his hands in the air “I was just trying to fix the cushion so that your neck didn’t hurt.” He explained. “You fell asleep.”
“Oh.” Ajabdeh winced a little holding the side of her neck. “Thank you.”
“You should sleep on the bed.” He said, “Your neck hurts.”
“No, I am fine.” She insisted.
“I can’t afford to have you injured, there are still two more days to go for this wedding.” He said taking the cushions away and sitting down beside her. Ajabdeh shook her head. “I guess the bed is big enough.” She said, placing her pillow down towards Pratap’s foot. “We can manage.”She looked really sleepy and tired, and Pratap nodded.
Pratap was woken at 7AM by an alarm going off on his side of the bed. He frowned in his sleep. He never set alarms. He was barely able to open his eyes.
“I am so sorry.” He heard her speak as she reached out for the alarm, over his body. Her tangled locks brushed his arm, and he could smell her again. Must have been her shampoo. She stopped the alarm and he could feel her jump off the bed and rush to the washroom. Pratap lay half awake looking out of the half-parted curtains of the window at the sunshine as a cuckoo sang somewhere in the orchards. He could sense her humming a tune while she rubbed her wet hair with a towel, and put on her earrings and watch.
He turned to his side watching her grab her files.
“Good morning.” He almost murmured and Ajabdeh smiled.
“ I am taking the keycard to my room, along. Make sure you lock the connecting door. Also, I checked on her, she is still asleep.” He nodded. “Have a good day.” She nodded at his words and walked away.
He got up and stretched his arms. He was about to step into her washroom when he remembered his toiletries were in his room. He went inside rather reluctantly and across to the bathroom. He took out his brush and opened the cupboard for a change of clothes for breakfast. He stopped alarmed as Phool stirred on the bed. He tiptoed to the connecting door and was alarmed to find that he had locked himself out.
“Pratap?” He turned alarmed at her words “What am I doing in your room?” The first thing Phool noticed once she sat up was her change of clothes. Shocked, she looked up at Pratap asking “What have you done?” rather suspiciously.
“What? I?” He looked taken aback. “You are misunderstanding.”
“Oh, am I?” Phool sprang out from under the blanket and balanced herself because her head hurt. “You are going to say anything now because I remember nothing. Why should I believe you?”
A knock on the door interrupted the conversation and Pratap looked puzzled.
“Keep quiet. Let me explain.” He said opening the door. The colour from his face faded, as he saw Ranima stand there with Shakti. She spotted Phool equally alarmed in his room, in pyjamas.
“What is she doing here?” Jaivanta asked, almost shocked as Shakti stood with disapproving glances at his brother.
“Ask him how I ended up in his bed. I remember nothing.” She blurted sobbing. “I will call the hosts here.”
“No need to do that.” Jaivanta stopped her “Tell me what happened.”
“Really?” Pratap angrily asked “Now you will hear her out than your own son? She was drunk as a doornail, she remembers nothing.”
“Of course, I don’t hence you did what you wanted to.” She retorted.
“In your dreams Phool.”
“Then how did I get changed?” She asked. “I was in a dress.”
“Ranima.” He let out a sigh, “Tell her to go and I will explain everything.”
“Why will I go?” Phool asked.
“Yes Pratap, tell what you have to, in front of her.” Jaivanta nodded.
“Fine.” He said giving Phool a stare “Ajabdeh helped you with the clothes. I called her. You can ask her.”
“Fine, I will.” Phool sobbed “You were still in the room.”
When Ajabdeh walked up to Pratap’s room, she was a little taken aback seeing the crowd. There was his family, and Rukaiya, alongside the parents of the hosts. Phool’s eyes looked red as she sobbed and the bride’s sister stood with her. Shakti looked displeased and Jaivanta grim. Pratap was looking pale.
“What’s wrong?” At her words, all eyes turned to her.
“There you are.” Pratap looked relieved as he dodged Rukaiya who was about to talk and walked up to her. “Tell her you helped her change yesterday.” In a reflex, he had held her arm in a cry for help. At his words, Ajabdeh looked at Phool and back at him with a nod. “I did.” Jaivanta heaved a sigh as Phool said “But I woke up and…”
“I didn’t spend the night here.” Pratap clarified again. “I was…” he looked back at a still taken-aback Ajabdeh “elsewhere.”
“Let's see the CCTV footage.” The hosts suggested, “Then Phool can be absolutely sure that he left the room and we can gracefully end the matter.”
“No.” Pratap shook his head. “I didn’t leave the room… I mean…”
“Just look at him making excuses!” Phool sobbed in a voice of rebuke. “Who knows what he…”
“Enough now.” Ajabdeh’s voice was louder than usual making them all stare at her, “You could have asked me before involving a bunch of people.” She spoke directly to Phool “I told you and I am repeating myself, I was there.”
“But he said he was not in the room and yet he didn’t leave.” The bride’s sister spoke suspiciously. “He should explain himself.”
“Yes, I woke up with him in the room and you weren't there,” Phool explained. Ajabdeh inhaled.
“Yes, explain to them, Pratap.” Jaivanta urged “Even I want to know.” Pratap was furious as all eyes were on him, judging him for something far from reality. Ajabdeh shot him a warning glance.
“Okay, that’s it.” He said, “You see this connecting door, I was in that room and I locked myself out in the morning.”
“Whose room is that?” It was Shakti who asked the question. Something in his tone also spoke disbelief.
“Ajabdeh’s.” It was Rukaiya who spoke as Udai and Jaivanta shared a quick glance with each other.
“Great. You are sleeping with the wedding planner now.” It was Phool who spoke and Pratap was about to speak when Ajabdeh held his arm.
“You have your clarity now. You should thank him for helping you. Can we get back to work now?”
Jaivanta looked up at her words. Just because she didn’t approve of the relationship, Ajabdeh was respectful enough not to mention it, even if it meant strangers questioning her integrity. Something that bothered Jaivanta. She wasn’t sure if it was a good way or bad. The people started dispersing, still giving Pratap disapproving glances. He had had enough.
“She is my wife. I wasn’t sleeping around with her.” Just when Ajabdeh thought he had controlled his rage he spoke at no one in particular. A gasp escaped the room. Rukaiya and Shakti exchanged glances.
“Why would you do this?” Ajabdeh almost outdid his irked tone as she turned around to face him. “The matter is over now.”
“What? You care about your stupid deal more than what they are accusing me of?” He looked crossed.
“I didn’t say that.” She clarified “It was unnecessary as the matter is over now.”
“How exactly?” He questioned, irked “My mother, giving me those looks? All these people? And she says I am sleeping around with you? You are my legal spouse for God’s sake. To hell with your stupid deal.” He spoke to Ajabdeh but he looked at his mother who chose to look away.
“What?” There was a hint of amusement in Phool’s voice. “You are insane. You married the wedding planner?”
“Her name is Ajabdeh.” Pratap raised his finger making her stop. “And it's none of your concern.”
“Can we please get back to business?” It was Ajabdeh who spoke almost at Pratap frustrated at the drama. “Please?”
“Nobody stopped you, they are busy telling me.” He shrugged like he couldn’t care less.
“We apologize.” The hosts spoke, “It was all a misunderstanding.”
“It’s okay.” It was Udai who spoke to them. “There is no need to…”
“Next time don’t lock yourself out,” Ajabdeh said firmly, looking up at him.
He looked away.
“Fine.” She strode off. “Rukaiya are you coming?” Her firm voice made Rukaiya run after her.
Ajabdeh was sitting by the pool inspecting the Mehendi expenses when Jaivanta walked up to her.
“I was looking for you.” She said, making Ajabdeh look up at her.
“Do you need anything, Ma’am?” She got up enquiring in a rather professional tone.
“Don’t be formal now that everyone knows,” Jaivanta said gently, placing her hand on Ajabdeh’s shoulder.
“I am sorry he…” She looked awkward.
“No.” Jaivanta shook her head “You two did the right thing.”
“Thank you Ranisa.” She managed a smile.
“All the best for the wedding.” Jaivanta smiled “And it’s Ranima. Henceforth.” Ajabdeh looked up at her words like she had misheard.
Seeing her smile to herself Shakti walked up to her.
“So what is the smile about?: He teased. “What happened last night?”
“Don’t you have a royal code of something that forbids you to talk like that?” She stared at him, making him laugh. “Well, now you have become the talk of the wedding.”
“That is very bad for my work, my job is to remain invisible.” She complained.
“Well Mrs Pratap Singh can never stay invisible.” he reminded her.
“And they will gossip about me now.” Ajabdeh looked self-aware.
“Don’t let them get to you.” He smiled “You are better than that.”
“I was smiling because Ranisa just spoke to me.” She smiled.
“And?” Shakti smiled back “I told you sooner or later she will be impressed.”
Ajabdeh nodded. “Go tell Dadabhai.” He nudged.
“I…” Ajabdeh looked awkward.
“What? He has not talked since morning?” Shakti laughed. Ajabdeh shook her head. Her walkie Talkie buzzed and she had to go back to work.
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